By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
Salvation Army red kettles will soon adorn the front of various locations around St. Joseph
The annual Red Kettle drive begins on November 5th and the Salvation Army in St. Joseph is seeking volunteers to be out ringing bells.
Major Ronald Key with the Salvation Army says people interested in volunteering can go online or call into the Salvation Army office, and from there says it's a pretty simple process.
"Just pick a location they'd like to ring and what time they'd like to ring, and basically I deliver any equipment they need and then pick up the equipment when they're done," Key tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "So we make it pretty simple for them and we have several locations throughout the city."
Key says after being short staffed last year, and having less volunteers, he hopes that now that we know more about the COVID pandemic, more people will go out and ring bells.
"We had people out last year, we had volunteers and we had paid people, we were shorter staffed last year because we were in the midst of the COVID and we just didn't know what to expect from that, of course we have a little more information now," Key says. "So we've already had some people that have applied to work this year, so we expect to have more people out at more locations."
Key adds a decent chunk of the Salvation Army's funds come during the drive, and all the money raised goes to helping the community.
"Well about one third of our budget is what we raise at Christmas, and that could go for several utility assistance, some of that funding will go to our family shelter also, for that to provide for the people at the shelter," Key says. "Or other programs we may have going here, youth programming, senior programming, so other things that also we'll use that for."
Money can be donated to the Salvation Army during the Red Kettle drive by dropping it in the kettle at various locations around St. Joseph or scanning a code on the kettle stand that will direct you to a online donation.
The Kettle drive runs from November 5th through Christmas Eve, and the Salvation Army is still seeking volunteers. The only days you will not see someone ringing bells are Sundays and Thanksgiving
You can find more information about the Red Kettle Drive and how to volunteer HERE